Visualizing the Wind Wave of a Walkalong Glider Paddle

A tumblewing walkalong glider is flown close to a series of hanging magnetic tape strips. Looking at the magnetic tape strips edge on shows how the wind wave propagates just in front of the paddle and quickly gives way to a turbulent wind flowing in behind the paddle. Although the hanging strips show air flow moving around the paddle in the horizontal direction, it is the same effect in the vertical direction. This vertical wind sustains the tumblewing in flight.

For plans and information on walkalong gliders see:
http://sites.google.com/site/controllableslopesoaring/

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• wisualizing
• wind
• wave
• tumblewing
• walkalong
• glider
• paddle
• air
• flow

[sciencetoymaker]

Nice idea. I might ask to use the footage to illustrate turbulence.